Words to Graduate By

Friday, June 16, 2006

Page 15

AT THE SIDEBAR (Column)

Words to Graduate By

By J’AMY PACHECO

An unusual request came my way a few days ago. My daughter’s school will graduate its first class of sixth graders this week, and I was asked to make a banner to hang at the graduation ceremony.

When you work with words, you get requests like that. I imagine parents who are accountants end up doing math stuff for their children’s schools, just as moms with sewing machines are asked to make costumes for plays, and parents who are good with cookies are asked to donate many dozens of the yummy little things.

In addition to knowing how to spell many words, I’m also quite good with butcher paper, which schools buy on enormous rolls in many colors, and use to decorate — cheap.

Another mom and I made a reputation for ourselves early in the school year when we figured out how to transform the double doors leading to the classroom area into the legendary Narnia wardrobe, complete with fur coats, using just butcher paper, paint and markers in preparation for the school’s book fair.

Other requests followed, and we once transformed the lobby into a forest, complete with an enormous, friendly butcher paper bear that came to life on my kitchen floor one night.

Of all the butcher paper assignments I’ve received, the banner was probably the simplest. But it was also the most difficult. The problem was figuring out what to say.

“Something simple,” said the note that came home. “But inspirational — to send them out of our school and into their lives.”

No pressure there.

What does one say to sixth graders headed for the whole new world of middle school? Somehow, “Buh-bye!” just doesn’t seem like enough.

I was limited in size — it’s not like I could fit an entire poem on a banner. That was unfortunate, because there was a great deal I would have liked to say to them — things I wish I’d known when I was young.

“Take your vitamins and exercise regularly,” for example. It wasn’t until I hit my late 30s that I began to realize the benefits of eating properly and taking vitamins. I suspect many sick days and doctor visits could have been avoided if I’d had the good sense to take better care of myself when I was young.

“Be courteous behind the wheel,” is another. Boy, I don’t know what’s happening to today’s drivers, but it’s not a good thing. Every time I see some idiot using the slow lane for high speed passing or blowing through a stop sign, I wonder what will become of our society.

“Don’t be in a hurry to grow up,” is one of my favorites. Today’s sixth graders are a heck of a lot older than my classmates and I were when we finished elementary school. I still played with dolls — something I can’t imagine today’s sixth graders doing. I wish I could have advised them to spurn makeup and boys until their tender little selves had time to grow tougher and smarter.

“Don’t be reckless, but don’t be afraid to try new things,” and “Don’t let your peers pressure you into trying or doing things you’re not ready to do,” is good advice for that age. I know some kids who do some pretty crazy things, and it scares me to think of what could happen to them. But I’m encouraged that some of them tell me about their exploits, and seem to welcome my grown-up lectures.

There are so many things I wish someone had told me when I was leaving sixth grade, and so many things I would have liked to pass onto these children – many of whom I barely know. Chances are they wouldn’t listen – just as I wouldn’t have listened then.

So for inspiration, I turned to the Internet. (Sorry, Mr. Bartlett. It’s just so much faster than flipping from page to page.)

I searched for “graduation quotes,” and found some that were inspiring, some funny — and all way too long for my simple banner.

In the end, I chose a few simple words from Henry David Thoreau: “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.” There is more to the quote, but I only had so much space.

Besides, there’s only so much you can say to a sixth grader headed out into the world. And if they’ll follow that bit of advice, they’ll probably be off to a very good start.

My own daughter won’t graduate sixth grade for two more years. That gives me 24 months to think of something great to say.

I think I’m going to need a really big banner…